"There is in every one of us a spark of the infinite goodness that created us. When we leave this Earth, we are reunited with it as a raindrop falling from heaven is at last reunited with the sea which gave it birth." 

This quote is from Somerest Maugham's "The Razor's Edge" and attributed to Sri Ramana / Ramana Maharshi. He was born Venkataraman Iyer on December 30, 1879  but is mostly known by the name Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. He is also known as "the liberated being."

This film is the screen version of Somerset Maugham's thinly disguised memoir. It is an unusual book in that it is more about his memories of a close friend than his own life. It is classed as a novel only because he changed the name of that friend as well as his own family members.

The friend, Larry, is played by Tyrone Power. And in seeking enlightenment he seems to inadvertently learn that what Sri Ramana has taught him is not always true. There are people who are inherently indifferent, and still others who are evil.

An outstanding film, marked by the performances of Tyrone Power as Larry, Cecil Humphreys as Sri Ramana, Clifton Webb as Elliot Templeton and both  Anne Baxter and Gene Tierney, as Sophie and Isabelle respectively. W. Somerset Maugham is played by Herbert Marshall.

The film begins just after World War One and spans the following decade. It takes place in Chicago, London, Paris and Tibet. The book is well adapted for the screen.

It is mainly the story of Larry, the most unusual man the author ever encountered, and the contrast between the spiritual life he has chosen, and the material lives of Elliot Templeton and the rest of the cast.

Written in 1944 it was well adapted for the screen only 2 years later by Darryl F. Zanuck.

"Captured" (1933) with Leslie Howard and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.

"Captured" starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Leslie Howard, Margaret Lindsay, Paul Lukas and J. Carroll Naish may at first seem like an innocuous forerunner to later POW films, but it is much more. It is an exploration of both the captured and their keepers. It explores the duty to ones comrades as well as the duty to what both are fighting for in the first place. And the validity of it all.

The prisoners are French, British, Italian and American. At first they are held in inhumane circumstances and likely to die of starvation and disease. The ranking British officer is able to come to an agreement with the prison camp commander, guaranteeing more humane treatment for all the prisoners. To effect this agreement, he guarantees their obedience to the Commandants rules, which are not unreasonable.

Is brutality ever justified, or does some leniency result in a more ordered situation for both sides? And just how far should this cooperation extend? And, how far does personal vengeance go in the scheme of larger issues? All eternal, and still unanswered, questions in these modern times.

Although these things may seem obsolete in the modern era, the theme of the film is still valid. When other powers, with whom we have no personal quarrel,  are at war, how far should the common soldier go in his personal struggle to escape, and what are his obligations to his comrades who have been temporarily removed from the larger struggle by their captivity?

In this film, all of these themes are played out when a British prisoner of war becomes imprisoned alongside his best friend from home, unaware that while he was captured earlier, that same friend began an affair with his wife. When that friend then escapes, jeopardizing the other prisoners safety, he is also charged with criminal rape and murder of a local peasant woman. What then is the moral obligation of his friend, who is also the superior officer?

When the enemy calls for the British Command to return the escapee to face trial for war crimes. The question then arises as to whether any loyalties remain to unite these two friends in their common struggle, personal differences notwithstanding.

Is that struggle, in which they are only pawns, undermined by personal betrayal? And more importantly, at what point do personal differences between friends, and responsibilities to those under ones command, begin or end?

Are the actions of the senior officer in this instance motivated by personal revenge, a sense of right and wrong, or is he doing his duty to protect the many for the war crimes of one man?  

This film delivers on all these points, and with its pristine restoration, and a rousing finish, is well worth the viewing.

"The Man Who Watched Trains Go By" with Claude Rains (1951)

Claude Raines plays a man who has been the head clerk/bookkeeper for 18 years at a firm in Holland. He lives by the sound of the train whistling to and from Paris his whole life, while he remains where he is.

A scandal at a rival firm leaves that firm bankrupt. But, though it has been proven the bookkeeper was innocent of any wrongdoing or knowledge of the crime by his boss, his life and career are ruined anyway. Even Claude cannot help him find a job.

Through a set of circumstances a police detective arrives from Paris tracing some Dutch currency which has been circulating in Paris on the black market. He comes to Claude's firm. The boss is most cooperative. Too cooperative.

Out walking one night, Claude finds his boss burning the books and running away with the firm's money. They struggle and the boss falls in the canal and drowns. The firm's money is strewn on the ground where it fell, along with a train ticket to Paris. What should he do about that? There are no more books, but keeping the money will make him guilty of embezzlement.  And leaving his family behind is not an option he really cares for. But this is an extraordinary situation.

What should he do? Tell the authorities the truth and risk disbelief and ruin? Or is there another way? And does that train whistle to Paris have an influence? Who can say?

Will he go to Paris so that it looks like his boss stole the money? Is it morally okay? After all, the boss was going to leave him holding the bag.....

Wonderfully adapted from the novel, and filmed in beautiful, almost muted color. This 1952 film stands the test. Also released as "The Paris Express".

"Kings Row" with Ronald Reagan, Bob Cummings and Ann Sheridan

Put aside your political leanings for an hour or so and watch one of the greatest films ever made. No kidding. Anyone who claims that Ronald Reagan couldn't act has never seen this film. In it, he portrays the scion of a well to do family who falls in love with a girl from the other side of the tracks. All throughout the film he is accompanied, and later comforted, by his best friend, played with great emotion by Robert Cummings.

The story centers around five different children a small railroad town, which, as in most railroad towns, is composed of two sides of the track. One is well to do, while the other side is composed of the very people that make the town work. The blue collar side. The story is set around the turn of the century in 1900.

Parris Mitchell (Bob Cummings) and Drake McHugh (Ronald Reagan) are the best of friends, both have lost a parent and their bond with one another is unbreakable. Parris dreams of studying medicine under the guidance of Dr.Tower (Claude Rains)who is also the father of Cassie, the object of Parris' affections.

Drake plans to go into business when he receives his full inheritance. Until then, he is somewhat of the town playboy, squiring his lady friends about town, much to the dismay of some of the more "proper" citizens. In short, he is not well liked, though he is likeable.

When Parris moves to Vienna to study psychiatry, Drake is left at home, pursuing his many lady friends before finally falling in love with the daughter of the town's other physician, Dr. Gordon (Charles Coburn) who does not approve of the match. When Drake suffers a horrible railroad accident, Dr. Gordon amputates Drake's leg without cause, assuring that he will not marry his daughter. The scene in which Drake awakens after the amputation is one of the finest pieces of acting ever recorded, as Drake realizes what has happened and screams out, "Where's the rest of me!?" This line would go on to serve as the title of Ronald Reagan's first auto-biography.

As the movie plays out, the secrets of the town are uncovered one by one, and a portrait of a small American town is changed forever. As for just what happens to the two friends, Parris and Drake, as well as the women they love, you will have to watch this stunning film to find out.

The movie garnered 2 Oscar Nominations, one for Sam Wood as Best Director, and the other for Hal B. Wallis of Warner Brothers, for Best Picture. If you are a film buff and have never seen this film, you are missing an absolute classic.

"Goodbye Mr. Chips" with Robert Donat and Greer Garson (1939)

I have to confess that this has always been one of my favorite films, mainly due to the personality of Mr. Chips. He reflects my own lack of confidence and shyness when I was younger. And, just like Mr. Chips, I required time and patience to overcome those obstacles. Even today;to some extent; I still identify with his character.

This movie; like so many others; begins at the end. It is 1937, and Mr. Chips is instructed by his physician not to attend Graduation ceremonies at Brookfield; an upper crust English boarding school; for the first time in 57 years, due to his health. Naturally he attends at the last possible moment before retiring to his cottage, where he falls asleep in front of the fire, reminiscing about his life as a teacher; and later as Headmaster of Brookfield. The rest of the movie is a flashback of his life there; from his first days as a novice teacher until his final ones as the most beloved and respected of both his students and his peers.

When “Chips”; as everyone called him; first arrives at Brookfield he is unsure of how to proceed. For a while it looks as though he has chosen the wrong profession for a shy and gentle man. His first days as a new Master are an exercise in futility. But time wills out and he slowly becomes an object of affection to his students.

When a German colleague takes him home for the holidays, Mr. Chips is transformed in many ways. He goes hiking in the mountains and gets stuck in the fog, forcing him to wait it out alone. Hearing a woman's voice calling out, he begins a perilous climb in search of the woman he assumes to be stranded. The woman turns out to be Katherine; an Englishwoman played by Greer Garson in her first screen role, for which she received an Oscar Nomination. She is the exact opposite of Chips; modern and outgoing. She even rides a bicycle! They spend the evening together on the mountain waiting for the fog to lift.

They become close quite quickly due to the anonymity provided by the fog and being so far away from the real world down below. Their affection for one another is palpable, but Chips dares not act upon his feelings, fearing rejection and humiliation. Actually, until he meets Katherine he is called by his surname of Mr. Chippings. It is actually Katherine who renames him "Chips."

When he and his German colleague Max; played by Paul Henreid; continue on their walking tour of the mountains they encounter Katherine and her lady companion once again. They become inseparable for the remainder of the trip, although Chips is still too "proper" to make his feelings known to this forward thinking woman. Indeed, it is she who engineers his asking her to dance on their last night together. And at the train station, while saying goodbye, she kisses him goodbye. To his way of thinking he is now engaged! Katherine has successfully maneuvered him into a de-facto proposal of marriage.

When Chips arrives back at Brookfield with his new bride, she quickly becomes the object of curiosity and attention at the all-male school. His students are simply shocked that he has a wife at all, while his bachelor peers are in awe at the beauty she brings to the school. They cannot understand how the shy and uncertain Chips could have managed to acquire such a lovely and beautiful woman for a wife.

His marriage marks a wonderful change in Chippings life. Katherine has the boys over for tea and becomes a part of the school. She helps Chips bring a new way of thinking and teaching to the institution. When she passes away during childbirth; on April Fool’s day; Mr. Chips is left alone once again. It is almost as if fate is mocking him. Surely he was a fool to believe that lasting happiness could be his. But the lessons he has learned from Katherine about taking chances and looking at things in a different light never leave him, and serve to endear him to both students and faculty.

When the First World War breaks out he watches as several of his students and colleagues march off to war, some never to return. When he reads out the name of Max, the German Professor; who had returned to his country at the outbreak of the war; along with the names of the English dead, the students; and the viewer; cannot escape the message.  ALL lives hold value, even the lives of "so-called" enemies like Max.

As a result of the shortage of manpower due to the war Chips is finally made Headmaster, a position he has dreamt about for the last 50 years. And when he does eventually retire; and subsequently passes away; it is with contentment. He has tasted of love and left his mark on several generations of young men, who are better off for his having taught them.

This movie is a gem. A more poignant film would be hard to come by. The book which sparked this film was written by James Hilton. Carefully directed and performed, this was a wonderful viewing experience which you will not want to end.

"A Christmas Carol" with Alistair Sims (1951)

As we ramp our way up towards Christmas, I always take the time to pause and really enjoy this old film. I have reviewed it here before, so any other words would be superfluous on my part. Here is my review from the last few years;

This is the cream of the Christmas movie crop. The one I look forward to every year. The 1951 British version of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" will stand the test of time as the penultimate version of this tale. With flawless direction by Brian Desmond Hurst, this well-known story of a miserly Counting House owner; and the effects his mean spirit have on all those around him; come alive with the incredible acting of Alistair Sim. No one comes close to portraying the mean spirited Mr. Scrooge, as well as his unbounded joy upon his redemption, as well as Mr. Sim.

Noel Langley did a wonderful job of turning one of the very best Christmas books into a faithful adaptation for the screen. The 1935 British version, as well as the later American version, both lacked that indefinable something which makes any artistic endeavor worth the effort in the first place. And the movie has been done several times since, but this is the version I would choose over any other.

Britain, at the time this movie was filmed, was still in the throes of the aftermath of the Second World War. They were still using ration books for food and sweets, as well as gasoline. Remember, the British took a hell of a hit before we joined the war in December of 1941. I mention this only as a possible explanation for the remaking of this film in the first place.

When I watch this film I tend to think of the Three Spirits as being allegories for what Britain had been before the war; what she endured during that war; and her hopes for a better future. Is that simplistic? Maybe.

I also watch this film with a copy of the book by my side. It's so loyal to the original prose, that there are whole pages where you can read along with the movie. It's then that you see, and feel, the brilliance of Mr. Sim's remarkable performance. To have the ability to act out the words, just as the author intended, is a joy to watch. I have to wonder what Charles Dickens would have thought of Mr. Sim's giddy version of Scrooge on Christmas morning. I suspect that he would deem it perfect.

Of course, no version of "A Christmas Carol" would be complete without a good Jacob Marley, and to that end this film gives us Michael Hordern as Scrooge's deceased partner. And he does a credible job as the Ghost of Marley. This scene used to scare the hell out of me when I was a kid. Now, I am more focused on what he is saying, "Mankind WAS our business!", as he shakes the shackles that bind him. Here is that scene, courtesy of good ol' You Tube;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGGohTPuOeQ

If I had only one holiday movie to choose from, this would be it. The lessons penned by Dickens so many years ago, still resonate today, when the world is still full of Ignorance and Want, mankind’s two worst enemies. I didn't say it - Dickens did. I just happen to agree.

"The Four Feathers" with John Clements and C. Aubrey Smith (1939)

Have you ever wondered how an old favorite film would hold up after several years? Can it still measure up to the thrill of your memory? This one does all that and then surpasses itself. The sheer scope and message of this film rings even louder than it did in 1939 when it was first released. They did a remake of it in 2002 with Heath Ledger. I got through about 15 minutes of it before hitting the eject/reject button.

This is the story of a young man who has been through military school and is the youngest member of a family of soldiers going back centuries. It has always been his presumed destiny to follow in their steps. He and his 4 friends are chomping at the bit waiting for a war to break out so they can go off on their big adventure.

But when war does break out in Khartoum one of them begins to question the whole sanity of fighting. He has fallen in love and spoken of this feeling with his fiancée many times; and she agrees with him. At least until the flag waving and parades begin as the soldiers head off to Africa for the fight. Then she becomes ashamed of him.

As if losing the love of the woman he loves is not enough he also loses the friendship of his 3 best friends who are doing their duty and going off to fight as planned. His former comrades; as well as his fiancée; each send him a white feather, a symbol of cowardice. He can only redeem himself by returning the feathers after doing a courageous deed. It seems as if all is lost.

Now heroes come in all shapes and sizes; and heroics do not always follow a set form. What this young man does o redeem his honor and respect will astound you. Going off to war as a group; under the color of a flag; is fairly easy. The artificial camaraderie of group action can have a calming effect, and things you formerly thought impossible become almost second nature.

But when you have to face your own demons; rather than a common enemy, all alone; a different form of courage becomes necessary. The question then becomes not when, but how you will acquit yourself and recover the honor which others perceived to be lost. The answer may be that your honor was never lost to begin with; it just took a different form.

This is a truly classic film produced and directed by the Korda Brothers; Zoltan and Alexander. Remarkable character roles filled by the likes of C. Aubrey Smith; and a screenplay by R. D. Sherriff combine to prove that they just don’t make films like this anymore.

"Christmas in July" with Dick Powell and Ellen Drew (1940)

I always watch a Christmas movie sometime in August. Maybe it’s just being tired of the heat; or that old wishing it was winter in the summer and vice versa thing. We humans are rarely ever fully satisfied with our current lots in life; always looking for what we don’t have rather than fully enjoying what we do have at the time. It’s just who we are.

This is one of the quirkiest Christmas movies ever made; as it takes place in July. Preston Sturges; arguably one of the greatest film directors ever; is in rare form in this film. Dick Powell and Ellen Drew, two young lovers, play a couple with no money but with big dreams.

When Jimmy MacDonald enters a contest for an advertising slogan he has high hopes. And when he is notified that he has won, and can now marry his true love Betty Casey, all should end well. But, this is a Preston Sturges movie, and it’s never that simple; ever.

Jimmy enters the contest with the Maxford Coffee Company and his co-workers decide to have a bit of fun with him. They send him a telegram that says he has won the prize of $25,000. He now believes he has enough to marry his girlfriend; as well as buy extravagant gifts for his friends and neighbors.

In reality though the coffee company is deadlocked on their selection and as Jimmy goes deeper and deeper into debt; with no money forthcoming; what will become of all his hopes and dreams? Will he be branded as a fraud in the heat of the summer; or will he bask in the warmth of a Christmas like miracle in July? 

I simply will not reveal the ending of this film, which is one of Preston Sturges best cinematic creations. You’ll just have to see it for yourself. 

"Plowing Your Furrows Crooked"

They just don’t make films like they used to; and some people are probably very happy about that. Count me in the minority. I love the old films; all of them. War films; romances; musicals; biographies; dramas; historical dramas; westerns; it makes no difference. They all seemed to have something to say and were a lot less noisy in saying it.

True story; I went to see the film “Pearl Harbor” a number of years ago when it came out. I was with my daughter. As we exited I heard an old guy with a Pearl Harbor Survivors cap on his head say to his wife, “I was there and it wasn't that loud!”

Well, it’s Sunday so I thought I’d post something spiritual; Walter Brennan pitching the Lord to Gary Cooper. Check out how Gary Cooper tries to get away as soon as Walter Brennan starts to talk about religion. I think we all do that to some extent. Shy away from things which threaten our “comfort zones.”

In this 3 minute scene, Walter Brennan; as the Pastor; tackles the questions which plague us all throughout life; Can we fight the evil within ourselves? Will God actually help us? (Love it when Gary Cooper says he sure wishes the Lord would “throw in” with him.) And are we too weak to overcome ourselves and our own shortcomings; let alone Satan? Big questions, all. This is what I love about old films.

"Consequences" - Lena Horne and Eddie Rochester

There's nothing like watching "Cabin in the Sky" to put things into perspective. The simplicity of the plot is designed so that everyone can identify with it. Unlike the symbolism of "Moby Dick", or "Heart of Darkness"; both of which explore the consequences of evil; this film lays it out in plain language.

The story, which centers around the character of Little Joe, is straightforward. Little Joe has been hurt in a fight while gambling and now the Devil has come for him. But an Archangel also shows up at his bedside to claim Little Joe's soul for Heaven.

What follows is an all out battle for Little Joe's soul, with the Devil giving it his all to make sure that Little Joe pays for his sins. But the Archangel has some tricks of his own which he is bound to try before he gives up.

In this scene Little Joe is being tempted; again; by Lena Horne's character. And he tries his best to resist her charms. One of the most remarkable things about this video is the contrast between Eddie Rochester's vocal and that of Ms. Horne's. It juxtaposes the rough and coarse nature of Little Joe's singing; and hence sinful ways; with that of Lena Horne's smooth and sultry performance, kind of seductive, like the Devil would be. In a way it is also emblematic of the difference between Little Joe and Petunia, played by Ethel Waters. Joe has to fight the Devil, while Petunia embraces the Lord. They are as different as night and day; save for one thing. They truly love one another.

And, in the end, the only thing which can save Little Joe from his fate is the love of his woman, Petunia, who who just loves Little Joe so much that she can't even bear the thought of Heaven without him there. Rather than follow her faith into the Heaven she has earned, she turns her back upon God, and her reward, choosing to go instead with Little Joe. Her love and commitment to him impress the Lord so much that he takes them both.

So, ultimately, Little Joe gets to Heaven on a pass from Petunia. And, she is being rewarded for her faith that everything would turn out okay. But, remember, it was really her love that saved Little Joe from "those old devil consequences".

"The Shop Around the Corner" with Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan (1940)

This is another reposting of a review from a couple of years ago; I never let the holiday pass by without watching this one;

This 1940 film by Ernst Lubitsch, starring Jimmy Stewart and Magaret Sullavan is one of the most beautifully crafted films ever made, and is based on the play by Miklós László. The story is simple, in the weeks leading up to Christmas in Budapest, the department store of Matuschek and Company, is gearing up for the holiday season. 

The owner, Hugo Matuschek is played brilliantly by Frank Morgan, known to millions worldwide as the Wizard of Oz. His right hand man, Alfred Kralik, is played by Jimmy Stewart. The two are very close, Mr. Matuschek values the opinions of his manager. Things are going very smoothly, with Kralik expecting a promotion by Christmas. Enter Margaret Sullavan as Klara Novak, an unemployed and high strung young woman. Through a bit of trickery she lands a job at Matuschek and Company, which in turn drives a wedge between Mr. Matuschek and Kralik.

While Kralik has been exchanging letters with an unknown "friend" through the classified ads, Ms. Novak has been doing the same. Without knowing, they have been exchanging letters with one another, stretching the truth a bit where necessary. So, neither one has any idea that their co-worker is the object of their affections. In fact, the opposite is true, as they grate on one another’s nerves, and the Christmas holiday approaches. And to top it all off, they are both thinking about marriage to their prospective "pen pals", although they have never met.

At the same time, a subplot is taking place as the shops "dandy", Ferencz Vadas, played exceptionally by Joseph Schildkraut, does all he can to make life unbearable for his fellow employees. He is also one of my favorite character actors, and even appears in a few of the old “Twilight Zones.”

With a cast of character actors such as Felix Bressart, who plays Kraliks friend and fellow employee Pirovitch, and William Tracy as Pepi, the stores delivery boy, this movie will easily call you back year after year for a look at Christmas in Hungary in the days before all the madness began.

The movie has at least 3 endings. By that I mean there are 3 separate times when the movie could end, leaving the audience happy, but Ernst Lubitsch, being Ernst Lubitsch, has so many tricks up his sleeve, that you will find yourself enjoying 3 endings, each one wrapping up a portion of the film that you may have forgotten about. This is the art of Ernst Lubitsch. Just when you think it's over - it's not.

One of the all-time great Christmas movies, this film was remade in the 1990's with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan as "You've Got Mail." I have never been able to sit through that entire film. That’s simply because this 1940 version by Ernst Lubitsch captured my heart so many years ago.

Here is a scene from the beginning of the movie;

                            

"The Rains Came" with Myrna Loy and Tyrone Power (1939)

When an Indian nobleman returns to his homeland after studying medicine in the United States, Rama Safti, played by Tyrone Power, seeks to use his training to make the life of his people better through his education and training. But things are not as easy as they appear to be in the fictional city of Ranchipur, which is undergoing a prolonged drought. The citizens there pray for relief in the form of rain.

Myrna Loy plays the part of Edwina Esketh, a young lady who finds herself stranded in India and quickly becomes the target of the affections of both Major Safti and Tom Ransome, played by George Brent, an aristocratic womanizer. Their friendship is further strained by the flirtatious Fern Simon, played by Brenda Joyce, the daughter of American missionaries.

As these relationships become entangled in a web of lies, deceit and mistrust, the monsoons arrive, along with a devastating earthquake. These events force all of the main characters to re-evaluate their own lives, as well as the society in which they live, bringing the movie to an astonishing conclusion about life, love and all that really matters.

Although there is not much “real” history in this film it is interesting to note that the character of Edwina is supposedly based on Edwina Mountbatten (wife to Lord Mountbatten, a known homo-sexual.) Lady Mountbatten was known to prefer "men of color", just as the character in the film does. In real life, Lady Mountbatten had a long term affair with a Jamaican cabaret singer. Pretty good movie, and as always, Myrna Loy is a pleasure to watch.

"I Only Have Eyes for You" from "Dames" (1934)

It just wouldn’t be New Year’s Eve without watching an old Busby Berkeley film. When I was about 11 years old, I “discovered” these old musicals on late night TV, and they came to highlight my New Year’s Eves for the next couple of years. At least until I was old enough to go out for the occasion. And even after I was, I always came home to watch whatever was on the Late, Late Show. Consequently, Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler became my late night/early morning friends, inhabiting a secret world where everything always ended happily. I’m still like that; I prefer it when things work out right in the end.

In this scene from “Dames”; the 1934 Busby Berkeley film written by Robert Lord, with a screenplay by Delmer Daves; our two stars find themselves alone late at night on a train. When Dick Powell begins to croon his love for Ruby Keeler, the magic begins as Busby Berkeley seems to pull out all the stops in this wonderful musical number about love. The best part of the whole number occurs at about 4 minutes into the scene, when Ruby Keeler is falling asleep on Dick Powell’s shoulder as he gazes at a beautiful woman in the advertisement opposite him. With his true love asleep in his arms, and the train rocking along, he is caught up in a reverie consisting of Ms. Keeler’s face, which seems to float about in various formations. This is Busby Berkeley at his best.

With the help of co-stars Joan Blondell, Zasu Pitts and Guy Kibbee, this is a perfect film to end 2012 and ring in 2013. It has an actual plot concerning a morality crusader who wants to put an end to Broadway shows, but; as with almost all of Busby Berkeley’s musicals; the real focus is on the elaborate sets and gowns, as well as the perfect endings. And, with the recent weather related events in the northeast; capping off a grueling election year; this film is a like a breath of fresh air which holds all the promise of better days ahead. Happy New Years to all.

"Where the Sidewalk Ends" with Dana Andrews (1950)

Dana Andrews plays a detective who accidently kills a murder suspect he believes to be innocent. Now, he finds himself in the awkward position of trying to prove the dead man guilty of a murder which he never did, even while trying to cover up the crime he himself has committed.

When he falls in love with the dead man’s widow, played by Gene Tierney, things get even more complicated. This is one of those truly underrated film noir classics with a great storyline and some serious acting, including Karl Malden as the new chief of Detectives, who has his doubts about the methods his men use, but still must answer to his own higher ups in order to justify his job.

Dana Andrews acts with a rare intensity in this film, opposite a sizzling Gene Tierney as they take you back to the days when detectives were “gumshoes” and the gals were “dames”. Round it out with some good old fashioned detective work, and it all adds up to a great viewing experience.

"Only Angels Have Wings" with Cary Grant, Thomas Mitchell and Jean Arthur (1939)

“Only Angels have Wings” is almost a blueprint for Howard Hawks’ later classic adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s “To Have, and to Have Not”. Even some of the most noteworthy lines are almost identical. The real difference in the two films is not so much the location of the story; a mountain pass in South America versus an island in the Caribbean; but the actors themselves.

In this film, Cary Grant plays cynical Geoff Carter, the leader of a group of cargo planes located in the jungles of South America, where they fly mail, as well as any cargo, anywhere, at any time.

Brooklyn born Bonnie Lee, played by Jean Arthur, puts in by boat to a small airstrip somewhere in South America. To fly out, the pilots must risk great danger as they go through the mountain passage, which is always clouded by fog, and even; at that altitude; sometimes snow.

It is in this environment that Bonnie meets, and falls for Geoff, who is distant and cold towards her. He has seen too much of life to get attached to anyone, or anything; yet there is something between the two that threatens to grow into more. This only makes her more hopeful, even as it repels him further away.

When another pilot, Bat Mac Pherson, played by Richard Barthelmess, shows up with his wife Judy, played by sultry Rita Hayworth, things get complicated. It seems that, at some point in the past, Bat bailed out of a plane ahead of his crew, which included the brother of Geoff’s right hand man, fellow pilot Kid Dabb, played by Thomas Mitchell, causing his death. Bad blood is boiling, and it seems as if only bad can come of it.

Written by Paul Donahue, and directed by the incomparable Howard Hawks, this film sizzles as events unfold and lives are altered. Sig Ruman plays the Dutchman, which is to say that he basically plays himself. You get the same feeling as you watch Noah Beery Jr. play pilot Joe Souther. Though the story takes place in the fictional port of Barranca, I can tell you from experience, that as late as the 1980’s, ports like these still existed. And, films like this one put me on the path to finding them.

"It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" with Everyone (1963)

This is one of those movies from when I was 8 years old that has lingered on the edge of my consciousness for years. It was written by William and Tania Rose, and directed by Stanley Kramer. The movie is a bit longer than I’d remembered, and of course it’s dated. There are a couple of scenes where I was expecting someone to pull out a cell phone, but then I regained my senses.

Briefly, the plot of the movie is simple. Several cars, traveling a winding road along the coast in Southern California, witness a car speeding. The car, driven by Jimmy Durante, goes over the cliff, ejecting Mr. Durante as it does. The drivers of the other cars,  played by the likes of Mickey Rooney, Ethel Merman, Sid Caesar, and Carl Reiner scramble down the cliff to render whatever assistance they can to the mortally injured Durante.

Just as he is drawing his last breath he relates the existence of $350,000 dollars (actually he says “G’s”) which are buried under the big “W” just South of San Diego in Mexico. After he dies two men arrive on the scene to investigate the accident. The inference is that they are the police. The two men seem overly concerned about what information the dying man passed on to the witnesses. For reasons of their own, the witnesses all deny knowing anything. They then seem anxious to resume their individual journeys, each going their own way.

But, before too long, it becomes apparent that they are all on a separate quest to recover the 350,000 “G’s” buried under the “big W”. Alliances form, and are broken, as each vie to be the first to win the race which they believe will make them rich.

Surprises abound in this comedy classic, which features almost everyone in Hollywood.  Spencer Tracy, Ethel Merman, Phil Silvers, the Three Stooges, Jack Benny, Don Knotts, Edward Everett Horton, William Demarest, Andy Devine, and even Eddie “Rochester” Andersen all make appearances in this wild tribute to the mad cap comedies of the 1930’s. If you have never seen this film, it is worth the time simply to see all of these legends on the screen together. Even Jerry Lewis makes an uncredited appearance as a cab driver in this delightful farce.  

The drumming for all of the music in this film is by Earl Palmer, the steady beat behind; and sometimes around; almost everything you have ever listened to. Mr. Palmer was a studio drummer for the likes of everyone you can imagine, such as  The Monkees, Fats Domino, Neil Young,  Frank Sinatra, and too many others to mention here. His career as a professional drummer lasted over 6 decades.  This review is for him, and by the way, Eddie Ray says "hello." I'll be reading up about, and have more to write about  this incredibly talented musician in the weeks to come.

"Imitation of Life" with Claudette Colbert, Louise Beavers, and Ned Sparks (1934)

When Bea Pullman is widowed, she and her 8 year old daughter Jessie are hard-pressed to make ends meet. At this crucial moment of Bea's life Delilah Johnson shows up on her doorstep, looking for work. It's the middle of the Great Depression and Delilah, played by Louise Beavers, is willing to work as a maid for Bea and her daughter. Delilah has a daughter of her own, named Peola, played by Fredi Washington. She is the same age as Jessie, and though her mother is as black as can be, Peola is light skinned and easily mistaken for white. At first this causes no trouble, but as she gets older, things change. Meantime, the two women need one another; Bea needs the help in order to find work, while Delilah needs the job to feed herself and Peola.

Delilah makes the most wonderful pancakes in the world, and the two women set out to open a pancake house. Alan Hale plays the store fixture salesman, Marvin, who is outwitted by Bea when the two negotiate the refurbishing of the store which Bea has selected to open her pancake house. With no money down Bea must convince Marvin to let her have the furnishings and make payments.

The business is doing well and all problems seem to have vanished when Elmer Smith; played with his usual aplomb by Ned Sparks; an out of work victim of the Depression, comes loitering outside the shop on the boardwalk. He is broke, and hungry. He offers to give Bea a million dollar idea for a "stack of those wheat cakes". His idea is simply put; "Why not box it?" And they do, with Aunt Delilah's picture on the cover. The gamble is a huge success, making the women wealthy in a short time. He also becomes their business partner, always looking out for Bea.

As all of this is taking place, the two daughters, Jessie and Peola grow up. And, as they do, Peola realizes that in spite of her light skin, she is black. When her mother inadvertently "blows her cover", the child is mortified and rejects her in order to lead a life "passing" as white. This, of course breaks her mother’s heart, and Delilah is taken ill from the stress and pain of having "lost" her daughter.

Meanwhile, Jessie has grown into a beautiful young woman, just as her mother has fallen in love with Stephen Archer, played by Warren William. He is an expert entomologist, that is, he studies insects. When Peola goes missing, both Bea and Delilah go in search of her, leaving Jessie alone with Steve for a few days. During this time she falls in love with him, in spite of the difference in their ages. Although he finds her to be a delightful young woman, he is truly in love with Bea.

By this time, Delilah has passed away, and Peola has returned home, mortified at the way she treated her mother. Jessie, on the other hand, has decided that her mother's happiness is more important than her own, and plans to go to Europe for a few years and complete her schooling, thus removing herself from the situation between her mother and Steve. But Bea will have none of it, and though it breaks her heart to do so, she calls off her impending marriage to Steve, realizing that their union would always represent a division between herself and her daughter.

This is one of the best films of the 1930's. It is also one of Ms. Colbert's best performances, encompassing drama, tinged with a bit of humor thrown in. Fans of "It Happened One Night" will enjoy this movie immensely. Though “Imitation of Life” was remade in the 1950's with Lana Turner, the original is still the benchmark for this wonderful film. Taken from the novel by Fannie Hurst, and with a screenplay by William Hurlbut, you simply can't go wrong with this one.

Trayvon Martin - RIP

"Going My Way" with Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald (1944)

I'm not in the best if shape to really read right now, what with this lump on my head, so I'll be doing movies for the next few days while I get back to normal, whatever that is. Luckily for me, the Mooreville Public Library has outdone itself this year with their acquisition of some of my favorite classic movies. This one turned up just the other day; you can tell by the marking on the cover that it was just purchased in the last few weeks. I used to watch this every Christmas when I had a larger VCR collection. When I made the switch to DVD I found it too cumbersome to change from one format another every time I was watching something, so a lot of those tapes were given away. And sometimes it's just plain fun to run across an old favorite unexpectedly, rather than have it at your disposal constantly. Somehow it loses value when it can be taken for granted. I suppose that’s true of most things.

At any rate, this one was a sheer delight to watch again. Briefly, Bing Crosby, playing Father O'Malley, comes to the aging parish of Saint Dominic's, which has been the domain of the aging Parish Priest Father Fitzgibbon, played by Barry Fitzgerald in his unique and mischievous way. Unknown to the elder Priest, Father O'Malley is there to replace him. But who would break this old man's heart with the news? His life, after all, has been spent in this one Parish, where he is known, and loved, by all.

Through a series of mishaps, Father O'Malley manages to get off to a bad start with some of the local parishioners, but manages to strike a chord with some of the neighborhood roughnecks. The Parish is in an impoverished area of the city, which makes it all the more challenging for Father O'Malley, while Father Fitzgibbon has grown a bit too "long in the tooth" to be completely effective.

The church is in debt and in threat of foreclosure if it cannot meet its financial obligations. The same bank also owns the tenements which exist in the neighborhood. At the same time in which the owner is evicting one of the tenants; an old woman with no visible means of support; the owner's son is becoming romantically involved with a young woman, Carol James, played by Jean Heather, who aspires to become a singer. He has even installed her in an apartment in the same building in which the destitute old woman lives. This sparks a scandal, which must be handled by the irrepressible Father O'Malley.

O'Malley is no stranger to love, having once been in love with opera star Genevieve Linden, played wonderfully by real life opera star Rise Stevens. Their reunion scene; and her part in helping Father O'Malley with the children; form some of the more poignant parts of the film.



While attempting to navigate this veritable mine field, O'Malley, with the help of a fellow Priest named Father O'Dowd, played by Frank McHugh, manage to help Father Fitzgibbon overcome a fire at St. Dominic's, while quietly engineering a re-union of the old man and his mother, a woman of 90 who still resides in Ireland. They also find the time to form some of the local kids into a Boys’ Choir with the help of Ms. Stevens. When Christmas Eve arrives , and the Boys’ Choir is performing, Father Fitzgibbon is re-united with his aging mother on Christmas Eve, bringing this movie to a beautiful finish, and leaving the viewer a bit misty eyed in the process.

"Stalag 17" with William Holden, Otto Preminger

This is a film that I associate with Christmas. It's not the warm and fuzzy type of Christmas movie you would normally expect. While I enjoy those types of films, and will be reviewing some of the classic ones as we near the holiday, I prefer the more unusual Christmas movies, the ones which explore the human condition more than the tinsel on the tree.

In this film the entire story takes place around the time of the holidays, only this time in a German POW Camp, Stalag 17. The time is less than 2 weeks before Christmas of 1944. In this 1953 film directed by Billy Wilder, fellow Director Otto Preminger plays Commandant Klink of Stalag 17, a POW Camp located somewhere in Germany. He is pure Nazi, right to the bone. They couldn't have picked a better actor. The film is based entirely upon the Broadway play of the same name, in which Robert Strauss and Harvey Lembeck, who play the roles of Harry Shapiro and "Animal", appeared. They are both excellent in this screen adaptation.

Someone in the barracks at Stalag 17 is a stoolie. Several men have already died attempting escapes. No one knows who it is, but everyone suspects it to be Sgt. Sefton, played by William Holden, a shrewd black market trader who has fresh eggs for breakfast while his fellow prisoners subsist on gruel. He is not very well liked. He flouts his wealth, mocking the others as "saps."

Overseeing the entire barracks is Sgt. Schultz, (if you're thinking of "Hogan's Hero's", forget it. In this film, Klink and Schultz are both real Nazi's, with no shred of honor, or humor. This is a drama.) He is a cruel and calculating man who masquerades as the men's "friend", but his real purposes are sinister and without merit.

When the men in the barracks gang up on Sefton, and beat him, thinking he is the stoolie, they set off a chain of events which leads to the discovery of the real mole, on Christmas Eve, just in time for a planned escape by several of the prisoners. With the holiday only hours away, someone is about to pay for those who have died, while others are on their way to freedom.

A real surprise twist at the end makes this an excellent film at any time of the year. But now, as Christmas approaches,, the film is somehow more poignant, as we watch these men struggle with their burdens, each one bearing their individual cross, during a time of year which normally holds joy for most.

This film won the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in 1954 for William Holden, who initially refused the part. In addition it also won Nominations for Best Supporting Actor for Robert Strauss, as well as a Nomination for Best Director for Billy Wilder. If you've never seen this one, check it out. Here is a clip from one of the lighter moments in the film;

"Cabin In The Sky" with Ethel Waters, Lena Horne and Eddie Rochester (1943)

This is one of those movies which I have watched quite a few times over the course of about 40 years. Each time it is more of a delight than the last time. It deals with the age old question of just what happens to us when we die. That it confines itself to the traditional interpretation of Heaven and Hell does nothing to diminish the pleasure the viewer can get from watching it.

Little Joe, played by Eddie Rochester, is married to Petunia, played with real heart and soul by Ethel Waters. Joe is a "sporting" man; in other words, he prefers drinking and gambling, along with the company of women other than his wife, to working hard and making something of himself. In spite of these faults, Petunia is very much in love with him.

He rewards this love by fooling around with Georgia Brown, played by Lena Horne, drinking and finally getting knifed in a gambling club, which begins an epic struggle between Heaven and Hell as to whom his soul belongs to. Satan argues that, since the man lived a life of sin, his soul is forfeit to the Devil, and accordingly, he shows up to claim his due.

But what about Petunia? She is a blameless person, who now finds herself with her heart broken at the loss of her love. She prays in such earnest that God sees fit to give him 6 more months in which to prove that he is worthy of both God's grace, and Petunia's love. This turn of events really ticks the Devil off, and he proceeds to place every obstacle he can find in Little Joe's path, in order to claim the soul he feels rightfully belongs to him.

The scenes in Heaven, with Louis Armstrong as the Trumpeter, and Kenneth Spencer as "The General", who works at the direction of God himself, are extraordinary. Rex Ingram, who as both Lucifer, and Lucius Ferry, Little Joe's "best friend" and gambling buddy, are reminiscent of Dorothy's awakening at the end of "The Wizard Of Oz", in that the characters she encountered in that magical place were all people she really knew here on earth.

Surrounded on all sides by temptation, and conciously unaware of the high stakes for which he is playing, Little Joe is torn between his love for Petunia and the "sporting" life. Will he fall prey to the Devil's tactics? Or will Petunia's love pull him through?

With a cast of the best of the African-American performers of the time, including Duke Ellington and his Orchestra, Butterfly McQueen and Ruby Dandridge; whose beauty rivals that of Ms. Horne; and under the careful direction of Vincente Minnelli, this movie comes to life right off the screen. The "Shine" sequence, featuring John William "Bubbles" Sublett as Domino Johnson, and as himself, was choreographed and directed by the great Busby Berkeley, though he is uncredited in the film. If you have never seen this wonderful movie before, you should.

Here, courtesy of You Tube, is a 14 minute "short" synopsis of the film, which includes some of the most memorable scenes;

http://youtu.be/FvQ-zJc_u54